jjohart

I had a shop put on a fuel pressure gauge, and now my headlights only work on high. I took it back to the installer, but they claimed they didn't do any work on the headlamp stalk/column, only on the other side of the wheel. They claimed they unhooked what they'd put on and it made no difference, and then told me I needed a new headlight switch, which was another $400 on their watch w. labor.
I said no thanks, am looking for used parts, but am wondering, couldn't it also be something else, like underhood, where I see there's a "headlamp sensor"...what is that? There are also low and high beam relays, but I tried reversing like ones to no effect. Is there anything else I can check before ordering a whole bunch of used electrical parts? If not, who's the cheapest supplier?
This is a 83 280ZXT.
Thanks
John-Boston

jfairladyz

for a switch I'd ask around here or head out to a junkyard. The switch is VERY easy to replace. After you remove the lower and column covers, there is only one screw holding the switch in place. Sounds like your relays are ok. Check the wiring underdash first of all though. The headlamp harness likes to burn up as was just discussed in recent thread.

nismo619

thats kinda funny as my 1982 280zxt turbo low beams some times work and sometime dont high beams come on when i hit a large bump.. damn new mexcio pot holes...

jfairladyz

My low beams would do the same thing Nismo. Sometimes they just wouldn't come on and other times they would just go off out of no where. I'd jiggle the harness and they'd come back on. So I pulled the harness connector and it had a badly burned connector. I soldered in new wires and connectors and now it's all good. On my turbo the same thing had happened but somebody had already bypassed the burnt out connector with a new wire.

jjohart

Hi...from what I saw under the dash, there's no evidence of corrosion or burning on any of the headlight harness clips within the plastic housings. Are there other wires under the dashboard they could have knocked out for the low beams? What color are they, or what else is there to jiggle?!
Thanks for any specifics!
John

SHADY280

check your pm's jj, now i know the switch, disregard the question, what year is it, it makes a diff.

jjohart

This is an 83 280ZXT...what are pm's?

NismoPick

PM= Private / Personal Message.... You check them by clicking on "Private Messages" up at the top right of your screen.